Does the Bible say to Bless Israel?
In the above video, Adam Fannin (Law of Liberty Baptist Church) challenges believers regarding the modern-day state of Israel and the ethnic Jews. He has produced a number of videos on this subject recently, and in doing so, he is fueling supersessionism, also known as replacement theology i.e., the view that the Christian Church has superseded the Jewish people as God's covenanted people.
Fannin voices some strong objections against Rabbinic (Talmudic) Judaism, the political agenda behind the formation of the modern state of Israel, the ethnicity of the Jewish people, the Israeli flag, and the Hebrew language. Fannin's claim that Yiddish rather than Hebrew is the spoken language of Israel is a gross exaggeration. Hebrew is the official language of Israel and is the language of Jewish liturgy. Modern Hebrew was revived in the late 19th century and is spoken by approximately eight million people, almost the entire population. Israel Inside Out: "Hebrew is used for official purposes, from government to education. It is even used in court sessions. Hebrew is required for Arabic schools in Israel until the third grade. Israeli students are required to pass the Hebrew exam to get enrolled."1 Yiddish is a Germanic language that emerged in the 10th century in Central Europe, where Jewish communities spoke a hybrid of Hebrew and German (Judeo-German). Yiddish literally means "Jewish" and is spoken mainly by Ashkenazi Haredim within Israel. Fannin's claim that Israeli Jews are "fake" is speculative. The name Ashkenaz appears in the table of nations in Genesis 10. The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. (Genesis 10:2-3 cf. 1 Chronicles 1:6).
Following the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD and the Bar Kokhba revolt (132-135AD), much of the Jewish population dispersed into various parts of Europe, where they established their own communities.
"Documents from medieval rabbinic authorities, such as Rabbi Gershom ben Judah (10th-11th century AD), demonstrate that Jewish communities in the Germanic lands took on the designation 'Ashkenaz' from the biblical name, reflecting their perceived ancestral and cultural roots."2
While it is indisputable that the modern state of Israel is the result of an international political "Zionist" agenda, that should not lead us to deny that God is not using this movement for His sovereign purposes. There are many instances where God used His enemies to bring about His ultimate purposes. Much of ethnic Israel has rejected the Messiah and is presently experiencing temporary spiritual hardening or blindness. (Romans 11:25-26). However, God has a remnant, according to His grace, who will be saved at the end of the age. (Romans 11:5).
More important than all the disputes about the ethnicity of the Jewish people and the modern state of Israel is the Bible!
God made an unconditional "everlasting covenant" with Abraham and his physical descendants, which is not contingent upon their behaviour. The blessings and curses in Deuteronomy 28 are contingent upon their behaviour, but the covenant stands firm.
And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. (Genesis 17:7).
Yet in spite of this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject or despise them so as to destroy them and break My covenant with them; for I am the LORD their God. But for their sake I will remember the covenant with their fathers, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God. I am the LORD.” (Leviticus 26:44-45).
Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.’” (Exodus 32:13).
For the LORD your God is a merciful God. He will not leave you or destroy you or forget the covenant with your fathers that he swore to them. (Deuteronomy 4:31).
..then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have mercy on you, and he will gather you again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you. If your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there he will take you. And the Lord your God will bring you into the land that your fathers possessed, that you may possess it. And he will make you more prosperous and numerous than your fathers. And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live. (Deuteronomy 30:3-6).
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”(Jeremiah 31:33-34).
Thus says the Lord: If I have not established my covenant with day and night and the fixed order of heaven and earth, then I will reject the offspring of Jacob and David my servant and will not choose one of his offspring to rule over the offspring of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For I will restore their fortunes and will have mercy on them.” (Jeremiah 33:25-26).
For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you. (Isaiah 54:10).
The key passage in the New Testament is Romans 11. Those who claim that Christians have superseded ethnic Israel are acting in direct disobedience to the instruction given by Paul
not to be arrogant over the natural branches.
I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! (Romans 11:1).
But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. (Romans 11:17-18).
Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,
“The Deliverer will come from Zion,
he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;
“and this will be my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.” (Isaiah 27:9 and Isaiah 59:20-21).
As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. (Romans 11:25-29).
Zechariah 12
The LORD will save the tents of Judah first, so that the glory of the house of David and of the people of Jerusalem may not be greater than that of Judah. On that day the LORD will defend the people of Jerusalem, so that the weakest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the LORD going before them.
So on that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
Then I will pour out on the house of David and on the people of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and prayer, and they will look on Me, the One they have pierced. They will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for Him as one grieves for a firstborn son.
On that day the wailing in Jerusalem will be as great as the wailing of Hadad-rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. The land will mourn, each clan on its own: the clan of the house of David and their wives, the clan of the house of Nathan and their wives, the clan of the house of Levi and their wives, the clan of Shimei and their wives, and all the remaining clans and their wives. (Zechariah 12:1-14).Jesus Himself said that the Jews will be in the land at His return.
See, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’” (Matthew 23:38-39)."This is a direct quote from Psalm 118:26 a messianic psalm that was traditionally sung during the Passover. It was also shouted by the crowds during Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:9). The phrase signifies recognition of the Messiah and acceptance of His divine mission. It points to a future fulfillment when Jesus will be acknowledged as the Messiah by the Jewish people, often interpreted as a reference to His second coming."3
The proof text often cited by proponents of supercessionism is Galatians 3.
Even as Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness. Know therefore that they which be of faith, the same are sons of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all the nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham. (Galatians 3:6-9) Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. (Galatians 3:16).
The famous "faith" passage in Hebrews 11 references the cloud of witnesses that surrounds us as Christians (Hebrews 12:1). And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. (Galatians 3:29 cf. Romans 9:7-8).
There is no doubt that Christians are Abraham's spiritual offspring, BUT these verses do not negate the passages that speak about ethnic Israel's ultimate salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.
Fannin challenges the often-repeated exhortation that Christians must bless the nation of Israel. Fannin: "The bible says you have to bless Israel, or God won't bless you."
The belief that Christians "
must bless Israel" is taken from Genesis 12.
I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:3 cf. Genesis 27:29). Fannin, who is KJV only, points out that "thee" i.e. "you" is singular and refers to Abraham and is extended exclusively to the church. I believe that Fannin is grievously mistaken and that this is a very dangerous teaching. Those who promote supersessionism are standing against God's eschatological plan and His promises to the Jewish people. Fannin has not considered the sum of God's word on this subject and the overwhelming evidence that God will save a remnant of ethnic Israel. (Psalm 119:160).
It is not my proposal that Christians should support various enterprises undertaken by Rabbinic Judaism, such as the rebuilding of the third Jewish temple, acquiring the red heifers, etc. However, we need to be very careful about how we perceive ethnic Israel, the apple of God's eye! (Zechariah 2:8).
1. The Most Important Languages of Israel | Israel Inside Out
2. Who are the Ashkenazi Jews?
3. Matthew 23:39 Study Bible: For I tell you, you will not see me from now on, until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"
